family
by thelazykittypet
Summary: A neglected apprentice runs away, leaving behind a broken family. But broken things can always be repaired...
1. Prologue

"Where is my son, Mousefang?!"

The lavender she-cat spoke with a firm voice, her teeth baring and her fur bristling as if she were confronting a fox. In front of her was a mottled gray tom lying in a bed of moss, with a bundle of herbs wrapped around his front paw.

"I already told you, I don't know, Heatherleaf!" the tom professed. "I tried to catch him, I really did! I'm sure I would have if I didn't sprain my paw on that tree root!"

"You shouldn't have let him get away from you in the first place!" Heatherleaf snarled. "He was your apprentice! It was your job to watch over him!"

"How could I possibly have been prepared for this? I had no idea he was just going to do that! You would have been caught off guard, too, if you had been there to hear what he said!"

"Oh, really? And what might that have been?"

Mousefang lowered his head solemnly. "You... don't want to know, trust me..."

"Don't give me that! Just tell me what he said!"

"Okay, well..." The gray tom let out a sigh. "We were out hunting together, and Elmpaw was just as quiet as usual... But then, all of a sudden, he just starts screaming about how no one in the Clan ever pays attention to him, and he feels like he may as well be invisible!"

Heatherleaf said nothing, though she gave a slight wince at the sting of the words.

"Um, excuse me? Heatherleaf?" The voice came from an orange-coloured she-cat who had emerged from the den entrance behind Heatherleaf, who quickly turned around to face the newcomer.

"Skyflame! Did you find him? Oh, StarClan, please tell me you found him!"

"I... I'm so sorry, Heatherleaf..." Skyflame whispered, unable to bring herself to make eye contact. "We followed his scent all the way to the river, and then the trail was completely lost... There's no telling which direction he went from there..."

Heatherleaf barely reacted before immediately turning her attention back to Mousefang. "What else did he say before he ran off?"

"N-Nothing..." the tom stammered.

"Mousefang, I've known you ever since we were kits, and one thing that I know about you is that you're a terrible liar."

The anger in her tone was so thick that even Skyflame felt intimidated as she spoke, though she was merely a spectator at this point.

"What. Did. He. Say?!"

"Alright, alright..." Mousefang continued, his voice faltering as though the words were burning his throat as they came. "He excessively complained in particular about... about how you spend too much time with Tigerpaw, and that he may as well have never been born... The last thing he shouted before he ran off was, 'If she doesn't want me, then no one in the Clan will!' I really dont-"

"I knew it..." Heatherleaf muttered through clenched teeth, her claws piercing the dirt underneath her.

"Huh? What are you saying?" Skyflame meowed. "Surely you don't think that this is your fault..."

"I don't think. I KNOW it is!" Heatherleaf yelled, her voice cracking. "This is completely my fault for spending too much time with Tigerpaw! I made Elmpaw feel ignored and unwanted all this time... I'm surprised he put up with it for as long as he did!"

"Now, hold on!" Skyflame interrupted. "No cat could blame you for being so concerned for Tigerpaw! It was only natural for you to worry about him and give him more attention!"

"Why are you trying to make excuses for what I did? Elmpaw is gone because of me! I'm nothing but a monster!"

"Heatherleaf, stop this! You're-"

Skyflame had no time to finish speaking before Heatherleaf dashed out of the den, sobbing and cursing angrily to herself. Behind her, Skyflame whirled around to face Mousefang, the fur on her back beginning to rise.

"Look what you just did! Did you really have to be so blatant?! You know Heatherleaf is sensitive about these things!"

"Well, what was I supposed to do? I tried not to tell her. But she insisted on the truth, so I gave her the truth. If she can't handle it, how is that my problem?"

"Mousefang! Get your head out of the grass! Don't you remember what happened when Heatherleaf's mate disappeared? I'd bet the entire fresh-kill pile that it's going to happen again!"

Mousefang didn't reply. Skyflame saw that he was staring blankly at something behind her; she knew who it was from the scent before she even looked.

"Is my mother gonna be okay?"

"Tigerpaw, I..." Skyflame's voice was but a whisper now, as she gazed down into the brown tabby's shimmering green eyes. "I honestly don't know what is going to happen now... Truthfully, I fear for your mother almost as much as I do for your brother..."

"I just don't understand it..." Tigerpaw groaned. "Why did I have to be born like this? If I was a normal cat with normal eyes, then maybe Elmpaw wouldn't have run away..."

"Well, there are some things in this world that only StarClan can decide," Skyflame mewed soothingly. "No cat can blame you for what happens as a result of those decisions-especially not yourself."

"But it's not fair! Why do I have to be the one to go through all this?"

"Do not lose faith, young one. They say the strongest warriors are the ones that have gone through the toughest hardships. StarClan have something planned for you, I'm sure of it."

Tigerpaw sighed. "I hope that plan is to let me see my brother again. I just want him to come back to us..."

Skyflame bent down and gave Tigerpaw a gentle nuzzle. "We all want to see Elmpaw again, dear. And when we all wish for the same thing together, with our hearts speaking as one... That is when StarClan will surely hear us.

"Elmpaw will come back. I know he will."


	2. Chapter 1

"Ugh. I don't understand what she's still doing here. She's nothing but a drain on our resources at this point! Why doesn't Smokestar just exile her?"

"You know he won't do that. He's been thirsty for Heatherleaf ever since she was made a warrior. Not even her current state would put him out of that."

"Yeah, but like, it's not as if he has a chance with her or anything. Her heart is still stuck on that other warrior that disappeared... What was his name, again?"

The two warriors continued to banter over their fresh-kill, but Tigerthorn was no longer listening. He had been hearing such talk about his mother more and more frequently in the recent moons, but for whatever reason, he could not find himself able to say anything about it.

As painful as they were, their words were true, after all. Tigerthorn couldn't remember the last time Heatherleaf had joined a patrol, or brought back a piece of fresh-kill to the Clan. She may as well have been an elder.

The brown tom inhaled deeply, trying to stifle out the sound of the nearby conversation from his mind. Looking at the fresh-kill pile a few fox-lengths away, he noticed a rather tasty-looking squirrel on top. He silently padded over and picked up the prey with his jaw, the furs tickling the tip of his tongue.

 _Let's see if Heatherleaf feels like eating today._

As he walked over to the warriors' den, he could feel some of the other warriors shooting glances at him; as if they were scorning him for what he was doing. He tried his best to ignore them, but the piercing eyes continued to jab at his heart until he had made his way completely through the den entrance.

In front of him lay a single she-cat, who gave no visible acknowledgement to his arrival. The shape of her bones was clearly visible underneath her dull, unkempt lavender fur, and her eyelids drooped as if she hadn't slept in days.

"Hello, Mother...?" Tigerthorn mewed quietly, placing the squirrel next to Heatherleaf. "I've brought you something to 's a squirrel... your favourite."

Heatherleaf turned her head slightly, but never looked directly at Tigerthorn or the squirrel.

"Thank you," she muttered in a raspy voice.

Tigerthorn continued to stand next to Heatherleaf to see if she would make a move for the squirrel; but after what had felt like moons, she still hadn't moved a single claw or whisker.

Dismayed, he sat himself down on the nest in front of her, his tail wrapping neatly around his paws.

"Mother, please... You can't keep doing this to yourself. You're an amazing warrior, and I know that a part of you still wants to help the Clan. But I can only do so much to help you."

"You're wasting your time," Heatherleaf growled. "I don't even deserve to still be here. You've heard the other warriors talk."

"Mother, I'm sure that none of them actually mean it! Deep down, they still respect you for who you are! None of us want you to go through all this!"

"Elmpaw would," whispered Heatherleaf, a mix of anger and sadness in her voice. "He's probably wishing that I was dead right now; if he's not already dead himself."

Tigerthorn felt like he had been stabbed. He never thought he would see the day when his mother would say such a thing. Was there really nothing he could do to help her?

"I do not believe that is true for even one instant!" Tigerthorn pleaded, trying his best to sound as convincing as possible. "Elmpaw is still out there somewhere, I can feel it! And I know that he wouldn't want this any more than the rest of us do!"

"Then why hasn't he come back?!" Heatherleaf cried, suddenly staring at Tigerthorn with damp eyes. "The only reason he's gone is because I made him hate me! I wasn't even a proper mother to him! I don't even deserve to have him come back!"

"Yes, you do!" Tigerthorn meowed in a voice that was more assertive than he intended it to be. "It doesn't matter what any cat thinks. You're still his mother, and nothing will ever change that! You, me, Elmpaw, even our father; we're all still a family. And families share a special bond that can never be broken!"

Heatherleaf was staring at the ground again; Tigerthorn wasn't sure if she was even still listening, but he didn't care.

"You paid more attention to me because I needed your help. You only did what you thought was right!"

"How does that change anything? It doesn't matter if I thought it was right, because it wasn't! I failed as a mate, and now I've failed as a mother!"

Despite how much his heart ached to see his mother in such distress, Tigerthorn couldn't think of anything to say anymore. He was afraid that his efforts were only making things worse.

"Please..." Heatherleaf continued. "Just... promise me this, Tigerthorn... Promise me that you won't leave like he did... And promise that you won't do anything rash or bold; and that includes trying to look for Elmpaw. I don't want to lose you, too..."

The request caught Tigerthorn off guard. He knew that he would not leave Heatherleaf behind for anything, and he had always assumed that Heatherleaf knew that, too. But nothing was certain anymore; Tigerthorn would have to be prepared for anything.

"You have my word, Mother. I swear on my life that I will never leave you."

There was no response from Heatherleaf after that, leaving Tigerthorn in a haunting silence. A small part of him was afraid that she didn't believe his promise... but that wouldn't make it any less true.

"Well... I have a border patrol to join right now, so... I'll see you tonight, Mother."

With nothing else to do, Tigerthorn pushed his way through the bushes at the den entrance, the squirrel he had left still perfectly undisturbed beside Heatherleaf's nest.


	3. Chapter 2

"Tigerthorn, how about you take the lead for the patrol?"

The warriors in the patrol-including Tigerthorn-stared at the silver tabby with a surprised look. He had never been selected to lead a patrol before; he figured his limited vision meant that he would never be entrusted with such a task.

"Grayfeather, are you sure?" one of the warriors spoke up. "I mean, no offence, but..."

"But what?" Grayfeather interrupted. "Tigerthorn knows the territory just as well as the rest of us. Isn't that right, Tigerthorn?"

He wasn't exactly sure how to answer. It was true that he knew his way around the territory, but he was a lot slower at it than the other warriors. If he led the patrol, they probably wouldn't cover the whole border until sunset.

"I... I'm not too sure..." he began.

"Well, it's not like you'll be by yourself!" Grayfeather chimed in. "We can all help you if you run into any difficulties. Isn't that right?"

She proceeded to sweep over the rest of the cats with a gaze that was calm, yet still made it clear that her word was not to be questioned.

The warrior who spoke up earlier looked at the ground sheepishly. "Of... course it's not a problem, Grayfeather."

"Good. Now let's get going. As you know, we're going to be patrolling the Thunderpath border today. Lead the way, Tigerthorn."

"Okay...If I remember correctly, the Thunderpath should be in... this direction?"

"That is correct," Grayfeather purred. "Heatherleaf taught you well, indeed."

The words instantly brought a flurry of mixed emotions to Tigerthorn's heart. Hearing the deputy praise his mother after she had confined herself in the den for so long was enough to bring him halfway to tears of joy; yet at the same time, it was also a bitter reminder of the circumstances that led to Elmpaw's disappearance.

"Tigerthorn? Is everything alright?"

Grayfeather's voice snapped Tigerthorn back to his senses. He had a patrol to lead; now was not the time to get caught up in such things.

"Yeah... I'm fine. Let's get moving."

The group of cats began to move through the forest, Tigerthorn using the various scents around him to navigate towards the border.

He had often been told that his sense of smell was a lot better than the rest of the Clan; possibly to compensate for his vision. It made enough sense that he didn't question it out loud, though he did sometimes wonder if it was really true.

The patrol continued through the forest in silence, the thick foliage shielding them from the harsh sun above. A thin breeze was blowing in from the east, carrying the scent of the trees, the various wildflowers that grew in the area, and...

Tigerthorn suddenly stopped in his tracks, causing Grayfeather to nearly collide with his rear end.

"Hm? What gives?", she asked. "We're still going in the right direction, if that's what you're wondering..."

"Uh, no, it's just..." Tigerthorn stammered, feeling his stomach flutter. "Do you... mind taking the patrol from here? There's, uh... something I have to do..."

There was another faint scent in the breeze, distinctly different from the trees and the plant growth; a scent he hadn't smelled in many moons, yet he remembered it as clearly as the day of his warrior ceremony.

 _Could it really be...?_

"Tigerthorn?" Grayfeather mewed, her head tilting to one side. "Do you... need one of us to come with you?"

"No, no, don't let me hold you back... I'll be fine. You carry on with the patrol. I'll meet you back at camp."

He left the rest of the cats behind without even waiting for Grayfeather's response. But the scent was urging him closer, calling out to him in a voice that he couldn't ignore. And as he drew closer and closer to its source, he became even more certain that it was not his imagination.

 _It has to be!_

He continued through the forest as quickly as he could manage, until he had nearly reached the eastern border; the trees here were so thick, it looked like the middle of the night to Tigerthorn.

 _It's coming from somewhere around here..._

His heart was racing so loudly he thought he would disturb all the other forest creatures around him. He began to dart back and forth between the trunks of the trees, searching for the thing that he longed to see, the part of his life that had been missing for so many moons...

Until at last, he saw it.

A black-and-white cat, curled up between the roots of a tree, fast asleep.

The familiar shape, scent, and colours could only mean one thing.

Elmpaw had returned.

Tigerthorn could barely stop himself from dancing circles around the tree. His prayers to StarClan had finally been answered! And Heatherleaf would finally have the strength to be able to leave the den!

His mind became a whirling vortex of happiness, anticipation, and excitement, barely letting him focus on his actions. His paw shaking, he reached out and anxiously prodded the sleeping cat, too excited to be concerned over how hard he was poking. The cat underneath him began to stir, mumbling something that sounded like "Cut that out!" before he finally opened his eyes.

As their eyes met, some unseen spark passed between the two cats as they stared into each others' gazes. In an instant, they both knew that they were feeling the exact same emotions.

"...Brother? Is that you?"

Tigerthorn couldn't stop himself any longer. In an instant, he had leapt on top of Elmpaw, grooming his cheek and clinging onto his side like he might disappear again at any moment.

"I... I can't believe it! I've finally found you after all this time!" he purred, his eyes beginning to grow damp with pure joy. "I was beginning to think I'd never see you again, and yet... here you are, right in front of me! You have no idea how much I've missed you... Please, don't ever run away again... I..."

His words fell apart into incoherent mumbling, which eventually faded into silence as Tigerthorn buried his face in the side of Elmpaw's neck. The black-and-white tom smiled and gently nuzzled Tigerthorn between his ears.

"It's great to have you back, brother."

~• •~

"I'm very happy for you, Tigerthorn. And I'm certain Heatherleaf will be overjoyed, too."

Grayfeather had sauntered up beside Tigerthorn, who had once again taken the head of the patrol, with Elmpaw walking close beside him. The patrol had finished their route while Tigerthorn was away, and they were now on their way back to camp.

"I can't wait to see mother again," Elmpaw mewed, mimicking the spring in Tigerthorn's step. "I know it wasn't right of me to run away; I wish I had never done it. But... Now that I've finally made it back, I'm happy to be a part of this family again. Tell me, how has Heatherleaf been while I was gone?"

Tigerthorn suddenly slowed down as he started to rack through his mind, trying to find the right thing to say. Elmpaw had no idea of the impact his disappearance had had on Heatherleaf, and he wanted to tell him the truth without hurting his feelings too much.

"Is something wrong?" Elmpaw had noticed the change in Tigerthorn's pace, and he had a concerned look on his face. "Did something happen to her? Is she... not okay?"

"You'll, um... You'll see for yourself when you get back," Grayfeather muttered, sparing Tigerthorn from having to come up with a response. "One thing I can say though, is that it will definitely change her life for the better."

They completed the rest of their journey in high spirits, Tigerthorn and Elmpaw telling each other stories of what they had been up to while they were separated.

The sun was beginning to hang low in the sky when the group of cats finally made their way through the entrance to the camp. As soon as Tigerthorn had passed through the gap in the bushes, he dashed into the middle of the camp clearing and yelled, "GUESS WHO'S BACK?!" at the top of his lungs.

All the cats in the clearing quickly turned towards Tigerthorn-some out of curiosity, others of surprise-then, one by one, they shifted their glance to the black-and-white cat behind him.

"Whoa!... Is that actually...?"

"I knew the ol' feller was still out there!"

"You mean... He's not dead?..."

"Does this mean he forgives Heatherleaf?"

Similar commotion erupted among the cats in the camp; there was enough noise to make Tigerthorn feel like he was at a Gathering. Some of the cats ran up to Elmpaw and commented about how much he had grown and asked how he had managed to survive on his own; Elmpaw merely replied with, "I just had to push myself really hard... It's not like I had any other choice."

As he listened to all the questions and praise Elmpaw was receiving, Tigerthorn noticed that some of the cats were running towards the warriors' den.

 _They're probably telling Heatherleaf that Elmpaw is back... But she's in no condition to leave the den..._

Tigerthorn did his best to coax the other warriors away from Elmpaw so that they could see their mother in peace; Elmpaw already looked like he was worn out from all the attention that he had received.

 _I guess it's not surprising though... He's never gotten this much attention before..._

The cats parted to make a clear path to the den, and Tigerthorn slowly led the two of them towards the den.

Inhaling deeply, Tigerthorn struggled to maintain his composure as he stepped through the bushes, Elmpaw sticking close behind.

They found the lavender she-cat staring at the den entrance, no doubt in eager anticipation of what she was expecting to see.

As soon as Tigerthorn had stepped to the side to reveal the cat behind him, there was immediately a flash of new life in Heatherleaf's eyes.

"...Elmpaw?... Is it... is it really you...?"

Elmpaw gave a heartfelt smile and padded towards the nest where the frail she-cat lay. Heatherleaf began to tremble and struggled to lift herself off the ground, but her legs gave out from underneath her and she fell back onto her nest.

"Save your strength, Mother," Elmpaw purred, lying down next to Heatherleaf. "I'm not going anywhere this time... You will never lose me again. I promise that."

"Oh, Elmpaw, I... I'm so sorry for what I did to you!" Heatherleaf cried, burying her face in Elmpaw's flank. "I thought I was never going to see you again... I didn't think you could ever forgive me for neglecting you...!"

Elmpaw closed his eyes contentedly and began to gently groom Heatherleaf's ragged fur.

"I couldn't stay mad at you forever," he whispered. "And it wasn't exactly right of me to run away either. If anything, I should be sorry for causing you all this grief."

The two of them huddled tightly together; not even a surprise attack from another Clan could separate them. Heatherleaf did not hold back any of her emotions, letting her cheeks run wet with tears of joy; the first in several moons. Tigerthorn sat down beside them, his own eyes growing damp at the display of pure affection.

The emptiness in his life had finally been filled. No longer would he and his mother lose sleep over their worry of Elmpaw's fate. No longer would his absence plague their minds with remorse.

Tigerthorn felt true happiness once again.


	4. Chapter 3

"It's so nice to see Heatherleaf back to her old self, isn't it?"

Skyflame and Tigerthorn were watching Heatherleaf converse with a bunch of other warriors about the day's activities, a half-eaten squirrel lying on the ground in front of her. It had been about one moon since Elmpaw's return, and he and Tigerthorn had slowly nursed Heatherleaf back to health until she was ready to leave the den on her own. Now, she was happily taking part in Clan duties, almost as if nothing had happened.

"You know, I've been hearing rumors that Grayfeather plans on appointing Heatherleaf as deputy when she becomes leader," Skyflame purred. "But only time will tell, I suppose."

Tigerthorn was about to respond when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned to see his brother-who now bore the name Elmheart-standing beside him.

"Hey, Tigerthorn? Can I talk to you for a moment? Like... in private?"

"Huh? Oh, sure. Where should we go?"

"Just follow me. I don't want any cat interrupting us."

Tigerthorn wasn't sure why Elmheart sounded so serious all of a sudden, but he shoved his curiosity aside as they filed through the camp entrance.

The two cats marched deep into the heart of the Clan's territory, Elmheart guiding Tigerthorn with the tip of his tail.

They stopped in a small clearing surrounded with shrubs and daisies, and no signs of any cats nearby. Elmheart sat down, not making eye contact with Tigerthorn as he seated himself in front of him.

"So... what was it you wanted to tell me?" Tigerthorn asked.

"I... I just want you to know..." Elmheart began, his voice quivering. "I need you to know the truth. I have to tell you before I lose my mind."

"The truth? About what?"

Elmheart took a deep breath, remaining silent for what felt like days before he finally spoke.

"The truth is... I'm not actually your brother."

Tigerthorn wasn't sure if he had heard correctly. There was no way that he had actually said that...right?

"I-I'm sorry... What did you just say? Because it sounded like you just said you're not my brother..."

"That is... exactly what I said."

Tigerthorn was overcome by a wave of shock and disbelief. Had he really been living with a stranger all this time? And how did no cat in the Clan ever notice?

"I guess I should explain," Elmheart continued, pawing nervously at the ground. "My real name is William, and I was born in a housefolk den... I'm what I think you cats would call a 'kittypet.' I lived with my family and my housefolk up until about three moons ago, when I was taken away to live with a different housefolk family. But they were cruel and treated me horribly, so I ran away from them as soon as I could. I wandered around on my own in the wild, fending for myself, catching my own prey... until eventually I ended up on your territory. And then you came along, and..."

His voice trailed off as he saw the look of remorse on Tigerthorn's face.

"This... can't be true..." he stammered. "It can't be! I recognized your scent, and your pelt pattern... Everyone else thinks you're my brother, too! There's just no way...!"

William shrugged. "I really don't know what else to tell you, Tigerthorn... But this is the truth. I'm just... not who you thought I was."

"But... when I first found you, you said...!"

"Yes, I know..." William pleaded, trying his best to remain calm. "At the time, I thought you were my brother, too. That much is true. I know this sounds weird, but I do have a brother that looks almost exactly like you. He was taken by a different housefolk family the same day I was... I never saw him again after that. But then you showed up, with the same dark tabby pelt and green eyes that he had, and... I honestly thought that maybe you had run away from your housefolk as well, and you just managed to find me..."

Tigerthorn didn't know what to say. He wanted to run away, burst into tears, and claw William's pelt off all at the same time. The void he felt when Elmpaw disappeared had returned tenfold, and it was threatening to take over his mind.

"Just... Just tell me why," Tigerthorn growled, his claws unsheathing themselves. "Why did you keep this up for so long?! Why couldn't you have just told me right away, instead of lying to everyone like this?!"

"Because... Because I didn't have the heart to do it, okay?" William yelled. "When I saw your reaction when you found me, that pure display of joy and happiness... How could I just take that away from you? I mean, I can only imagine what it must feel like to reunite with someone that's been missing from your life for so long... I didn't want to break your heart by telling you the truth!"

"So you wait an entire moon to tell me and make me feel even worse?!" Tigerthorn retorted angrily, causing William to flinch.

"Look, I... I'm really sorry, okay? I know that I'm not the cat you wanted me to be, nor will I ever truly replace them, but... All I really want is for you to be happy. Not just you, but Heatherleaf as well. I don't want her to end up back in that state she was in when I first saw her. So... even if you can't forgive me for lying to you... at least give me a chance to make it up to you. I'll do whatever I have to do to make your family feel complete again!"

Tigerthorn was shocked at William's offer. How could one cat be so selfless, towards a family that he had only known for one moon? And would he really be able to fill the gap that Elmpaw had left behind?

"I... I don't get it," Tigerthorn stuttered. "Why are you doing all of this for us? You must have been disappointed too, when you found out I wasn't your brother..."

"Well... I was at first. But I eventually decided that a new family would be better than no family at all. Both of us have lost an important part of our lives, so... maybe we can help each other to regain what we've lost. It isn't going to be a perfect replacement for either of us, but... I just feel like it's the right thing to do."

"What about Heatherleaf? What if she finds out you're not actually her son?"

"It is concerning, yes, but so far she hasn't noticed anything. I obviously don't know all the details about your brother... But you knew him better than any other cat. That's true, isn't it?"

"I-I would think so..."

"Good! Then you can teach me everything you know about him, so that Heatherleaf will never suspect a thing."

The thought of constantly living behind a lie seemed strange to Tigerthorn at first; but he quickly dismissed the feeling. Heatherleaf didn't deserve to end up back in the den, starving herself and losing sleep to her distress. And now it was up to the two of them to make sure that that never happened again.

As for Tigerthorn himself, he still felt disappointed that Elmpaw hadn't actually returned... and it was unlikely that he ever would. But perhaps finding William was the next best thing; after all, he was extremely committed to providing him and Heatherleaf with the part of their lives that had gone missing. Most cats would have just walked away from the situation by now.

And he, of all cats, had a clear idea of what it was like to end up hurting others by doing what you thought was right.

The decision was clear now. Tigerthorn almost could not believe he had been feeling anger towards William just moments earlier.

"I... I've truly been blessed...!" Tigerthorn's voice was overflowing with happiness. "I can't possibly tell you how much this means to me...! Oh, StarClan, how can I ever thank you for all this?"

"You don't need to thank me," William purred, softly brushing Tigerthorn's muzzle with his own. "You've given me a family by letting me stay with you. That is more than enough to make me happy. Our meeting was as much of a blessing to me as it was to you... Brother."

The word echoed in Tigerthorn's head like the cry of an eagle over a vast mountain range.

 _It's been so long... too long... since I've heard someone call me that..._

Tigerthorn's surroundings seemed to fade away as he was immersed in the warmth of William's comforting touch, the hum of their purrs sounding together as one.

 _I suppose, in a way, Elmpaw really did come back after all..._

 _Though we may not be related, that doesn't mean we can't still be a family._

 _And families share a special bond that can never be broken._


End file.
